Encouraging new members.

[Britpilot]

Excellent forum though this is it is still important that we make new members welcome. The Super Cub being a basic RC trainer means that a lot of the people viewing this forum are probably new to the sport of RC aeroplane flying. We don't want to scare these new people away.

It is very easy for the more experienced flyers amongst us to get deep into discussions using terminology and context that a new person to the sport may not understand. This can give the false impression that this is a "clicky" forum for a select few. May I suggest that we have a "Welcome to the Super Cub Forum" thread that is at the top of all areas similar to the "How to post a picture" thread.

This welcome thread could have details of how all the icons on the forum work and what they mean (like the fluttering flag for example). Something very important to include would be a list of abbreviations and their meanings. We all use abbreviations to shorten our posts and save typing but they can be confusing for a newcomer to the sport. Take "WOT" for example if you had just bought a SC as your first RC aeroplane would you know what that means ? Another thing, please remember that us older guys are not that sharp on text messaging so be careful if you are using what seems to you to be a regular abbreviation for a phrase or word. Not everybody may understand what you are saying.

What does everybody else think? Maybe we even need a "Beginners area" ?

[jbess]

My first post was in the Introduce Yourself area, which is just like a Welcome area. Maybe change the description to make it the new Welcome area?

[Dillzio]

I can't really say I agree. If you'll look in the introduce yourself area you'll see lots of encouragement offered to beginners. Just about any thread you look in where someone has damaged their plane, you'll see replies full of support on how to fix the damage and how to prevent it from happening again, and messages like hang in there, don't give up, and the same thing happened to me.

The acronyms can be a bit daunting for the newbies, but like anything you'll get used to it. I must admit I find it a bit annoying when someone uses a seemingly obscure acronym and just expects everyone else to know what it is, but if there's anything you don't understand there are lots of people on the forum that will be more than happy to steer you in the right direction. There is a thread on abbreviations and acronyms used in this hobby here supercubclub.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=sccgeneral&thread=437&page=1

I understand how you might wish things were simplified for people that were just starting out in the hobby, but six months down the track you'll be asking more complex questions yourself, and you'll be wanting to know more technical information that would have confused you when you first started out in the hobby. If everything in this forum addressed beginners, then the intermediate and expert level users wouldn't find this forum too useful at all.

I think you'll learn more from reading more advanced information, make the search interface of this forum your best friend! By looking up the stuff you don't understand there will be a steep learning curve, but before you know it, you yourself will be asking where to move your CG in relation to your CL so you don't seem so tail-heavy at WOT with a 9x7MAS prop and 3s30C LiPo!

I don't think I've ever seen a case of a beginner being told they've asked a stupid question on this forum. As the Cub is a trainer plane, I think you'll find the super cub community in general is very open to beginners. It's just us regulars that give each other $hit ;D (looks in Ging's general direction, "LIMEY!")

[john66]

As someone who is extremely new to RC flying, I can honestly say that in no way did I find the forum intimidating. Quite the opposite, having read alot of the posts before I even signed up. I found the atmosphere extremely friendly, people willing to share info and no sign of the superior hifi salesman when someone asked a noob type question.

I myself infact posted a question the other day asking what "WOT" stood for. I had guessed before I had posted, due to the context it was always used in, that it stood for "welly on throttle" I wasnt far off by all accounts!

So I agree it would be great if rather than having to scroll through threads if there was a page of basic info including widely used acronyms. But like I say, I personally felt more than comfortable asking.

Hope this helps,

yours', a complete noob, John

[flydiver]

Hang around awhile. First, you'll find the majority of new fliers ignore these 'newbie sections' and start asking exactly the same questions that have been asked a couple hundred times before.
They are SO lost they don't even know where to start, don't know what it means, and don't know where to find it.

2nd-quite often there IS no simple answer to some of these questions that is adequate. For example- when you get to the part where you do the BIG MOD (new electrics and ailerons) and get the Spectrum, throw 4 cheap HXT900gm servos in it and a crap GWS ESC, take off with your old abused Zippy/PZ lipo and have your plane fall out of the sky getting the concept of [Brown Out] and all it's ramifications is complex.

As I've said many times before, flying is easy, the electronics are hard. No one expects this, I didn't. I could fly in a few weeks and was reasonably competent in a few months. 3 years later I'm still working on the electronics. It's interesting watching some of the old guard nitro flyers come into electrics. They can fly your thumbs off but the electrics absolutely can throw them for a loop.

Of course I'm still working on the flying.....who isn't?

[Britpilot]

So would a basic Q&A section for beginners work or do you consider that there is no easy straight questions and answers?

I tried to go to the web page that this link refers to supercubclub.proboards.com/index.....read=437&page=1
but the page no longer exists. Anybody know where it went or is there a similar page giving all the RC abbreviations and acronyms that anybody knows about.

[flydiver]

Or.....when do I stop confusing newbies?

Could it work? Maybe
Will it work? Not sure. We do hear lots from the folks that don't use existing information to find answers. So that makes it appear not to work.

Try Google > [RC abbreviations]
Bet you have your answer in less than 5". ;D

Start building your bookmarks now. You'll want them later.

[Britpilot]

I found a good list of abbreviations and acronyms including many used in text messaging. I posted it under SCC's Acronyms & Abbreviations thread at: supercubclub.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=sccgeneral&thread=437&page=1

[flydiver]

Man! Now I'm overwhelmed by excess information. Jeez, what a list!

OK, now sock this away for the future. Without bookmarking it try to find that particular link in 3 months without checking your own messages. Notice how many newbies ask what WOT/RTF/ESC/etc mean in spite of the fact you have an incredible list posted.

[ginginho]

I posted a linky to the RCG list in John's WOT thread too. More than you'll ever need to know

[Britpilot]

I have cut and pasted it into a word document and filed it. That way I can find it and post it again if need be!

[parrothead]

Take a bow guys.
I'm barely at the newbie stage and all of you have helped me in some form or another. We newbs read alot, just like you did when you started.
Try not to over analyze what we need. Acronyms, designs, subject verbiage, etc..
Continue to refine the site if you like, while you do so we (I) will continue to ask the questions.
Just keep doing what you have been doing.

As always, thanks
Steve

[skivit48]

I agree with parrothead, I am a newb to electronic work and rc flight and have found this place to be great. I bought the cub about 3 years ago and haven't flown it until last week in 2 years. I only have about 20 flights under my belt. I came across this board and it has re inspired me to get back to flying. I just have a hard time finding a place close to home where I can fly. But I am working on that. I like to do to many things that require land and I live in a city.

[Dillzio]

Best place to find a good place to fly nearby is Google Earth )

[jbess]

Feb 28, 2010 8:01:35 GMT 1 Dillzio said:

Best place to find a good place to fly nearby is Google Earth )

Agreed. Google Maps is decent for finding large fields, and aerial views, but Google Earth does terrain variations. (Yes, google maps does a terrain view, but it's not the same)